speakers & guests
Bitcoin Oasis 2.1
Sky and Sand
Meet industry experts & visionaries in an intimate setting at Bitcoin Oasis. This is your chance to engage with the foremost thought leaders and pioneers in the field. Stay tuned for our full speakers lineup!
Stephan Livera
Bitcoin Podcaster & Head of Education Swan Bitcoin
Stephan Livera hosts one of Bitcoin’s leading podcasts (Stephan Livera Podcast), and he is also Head of Education, Swan Bitcoin. Stephan is also a partner in Bitcoiner Ventures. He contributes for various outlets and publications, such as Bitcoin Magazine, Mises Institute as well as speaking at Bitcoin conferences internationally.
Previously he worked as an Australian Chartered Accountant for Deloitte, Commonwealth Bank of Australia, and Macquarie Bank. Stephan grew up in Sydney, Australia and studied Commerce with Accounting & Finance majors at the University of New South Wales. He is now living in Dubai.
Nicholas Safford
General Partner New Layer Capital
Nicholas is General Partner at New Layer Capital, a venture firm investing in tech companies building on Bitcoin since 2021. Nicholas is a seasoned executive in finance and energy, with a career spanning venture capital, private equity, and corporate M&A, including a significant tenure at Aramco, the world’s leading energy company.
FARIS ALjehani
CEO DEMA ENERGY
Faris Aljehani is the Founder and CEO of DEMA Energy, DEMA Energy is an energy-tech company committed to optimizing and increasing the efficiency of energy systems through demand-side flexibility, primarily via the use of Bitcoin Mining. Faris holds a Master’s Degree in Electrical Engineering – Energy and Power Systems from the University of Michigan – Ann Arbor (2019 to 2020) and a Bachelor of Science in Electrical and Computer Engineering from the University of Missouri-Columbia (2009 to 2013). Prior to establishing DEMA, Faris worked for Saudi Aramco as part of the project management team, working on multiple projects in the Shaybah Oil Field.
Lara Eggimann
Founder Bitcoin Association Arabia
Lara is the founder of the Bitcoin Association Arabia and main organizer of Bitcoin Oasis. The Bitcoin Association Arabia has the mission to grow the Bitcoin ecosystem in the GCC and to connect the right dots. Lara has a background in economics and worked as an IT project manager.
In 2017, she found Bitcoin and started organizing Bitcoin events in Switzerland. She now proudly calls the UAE her home and works full-time on expanding the Bitcoin community in the Gulf countries.
harris irfan
CEO Cordoba Capital Markets
With an extensive background in Islamic finance and the broader financial sector, Harris has held senior roles at several esteemed institutions. His expertise in both conventional and Islamic finance, paired with his enthusiasm for financial technology innovation, aligns seamlessly with Onramp MENA’s mission to deliver top-tier Bitcoin advisory services and education. Among Harris’s notable achievements are the co-founding of the Islamic Finance team at Deutsche Bank and the founding of Cordoba Capital, where he has led advancements in Islamic finance and fintech innovation.
Ralph Gebran
Managing Partner Onramp MENA
As a Bitcoin advocate and believer in the principles of sound capital and hard money, I have transitioned from traditional finance to a role where I can fully integrate my expertise with my passion for Bitcoin. I am proud to serve as the Managing Partner at Onramp MENA, where we are pioneering the responsible introduction of Bitcoin to the Middle East and North Africa through comprehensive advisory and educational services.
With over a decade of experience in traditional finance, I bring deep expertise in sales, sales enablement, and marketing to the dynamic and transformative world of Bitcoin. My professional journey is driven by a commitment to excellence and a firm belief that Bitcoin can significantly enhance the global financial landscape by offering a decentralized, transparent, and ethical alternative to conventional monetary systems.
irina heaver
Lawyer Neoslegal
Irina is a leading Bitcoin, Web3, and Crypto lawyer based in Dubai and Switzerland, representing clients worldwide. Irina has consulted multiple Governments and Regulators on policies surrounding emerging technology and has drafted crypto-related laws and regulations.
Her nearly two decades of experience have led her to advise on over USD $500 billion worth of projects and transactions in the oil & gas, mining, construction, maritime, and technology sectors. Irina’s expertise is in aiding visionary entrepreneurs with legally compliant launches, capital formation, and growth, leveraging her vast network in the Middle East and Europe.
Sooly Kobayashi
Founder NeoWealth
Sooly Kobayashi is a respected Lebanese Bitcoin advisor and entrepreneur, celebrated for his significant role in the proof of work ecosystem. With a background in international development and over a decade of experience in corporate sectors across the Middle East and Africa, Kobayashi expertly bridges Bitcoin innovation with real-world business applications. As a pleb with BitcoinDuLiban and an active supporter of regional Bitcoin initiatives, he is instrumental in making Bitcoin accessible to diverse audiences. Kobayashi’s advisory roles with entities like Swan Bitcoin, Jan3, Bitcoin Dua, Bitcoin Dada and others demonstrate his prowess in translating complex Bitcoin concepts into actionable strategies for various organizations.
His personal triumph navigating the Lebanese economic crisis using Bitcoin underscores his deep commitment to empowering communities in the global south. Sooly Kobayashi stands out as a compelling advocate, driving financial sovereignty and empowerment through Bitcoin, and inspiring business leaders and enthusiasts alike with his unique blend of professional expertise and personal journey.
Chris Ehlers
Director of Data Science & AI African Renewable Developments pty ltd
Chris is an accomplished power generation and Independent Power Producer executive across renewable energy as well as gas-fired power plants with a large span of his career active in the Middle East. He is the ex-ACWA Power Renewables COO having implemented more than 1000 MW of solar and wind projects in MENA. CHRIS CONSULTS ON GREEN & CONVENTIONAL POWER GENERATION CAPACITY OPPORTUNITIES FOR DATA CENTERS IN THE MIDDLE EAST AND DEVELOPS RENEWABLE ENERGY PROJECTS.
KRISTIAN CSEPCSAR
Bitcoin miner & Chief of Propaganda at Braiins
Braiins is a global leader in bitcoin mining innovations, providing high-quality software and hardware products worldwide. They operate the world’s longest running bitcoin mining pool since 2010.
Steven Brown
Founder & Principal Adaptive Strategy & Governance Consulting
Steven Brown, the former managing partner of the Bahrain Office of ASAR – Al Ruwayeh & Partners law firm, is the founder and principal of the recently incorporated AS&GC consulting firm. His vast experience in transactional legal work, including leading global and regional business restructuring in (among others) the financial sector, and the recognition of a competitive niche for corporate governance and strategic regulatory services, led to his move into this new field. Steven has long advised, previously from a legal perspective and now from a comprehensive business perspective, on Bahrain ventures including Crypto asset businesses. With a BS (magna cum laude) in statistical economics from Marquette University followed by a JD from Washington University in St Louis, Steven’s well-rounded educational and practical credentials allow him to provide 360° solutions to the challenges faced by his clients.
Christian Naef
CEO & Co-Founder RY3T
As a former Tesla employee, Christian is revolutionizing the heating market with a plug-and-play Bitcoin heating system for family homes and apartment buildings. Christian loves to rethink products and question the status quo, and he is convinced that true change can only be achieved through a certain level of risk and naivety.
THIERRY ADANT
CIO Newmarket Capital and Battery Finance
Newmarket Capital is an employee-owned asset manager with $3bn in assets under management.
Since 2013 we manage capital on behalf investors globally across private credit mandates across infrastructure, specialized lending and securitization.
In 2022 we established Battery Finance to harness the energy of bitcoin. We generate value by fusing real-world assets, such as real estate and infrastructure, with bitcoin.
Unveiling in Progress, Stay tuned as we introduce our prestigious lineup
For more details please contact us on hello@bitcoin-oasis.com
